Ever notice how a scary fence is in most Halloween pictures?Where did this all start?

The general practice of going door-to-door for treats is clearly similar to a much older practice, “souling,” in which the poor would go from house to house begging for alms or food. However, the specific practice of “trick-or-treating” dates to around the 1930s. It is possible—though by no means certain—that it evolved as an antidote for the increasingly rowdy and costly Halloween pranks. It provided a healthier activity for the young and gave them an incentive not to play tricks.

We could easily make something up about the origins of Halloween costumes. We could say that people originally dressed as ghosts and witches to scare people, and that the practice eventually spread to include costumes of all sorts. But the fact is that we don’t actually know where Halloween costumes came from, only that the practice, like trick-or-treating, appears to have begun in early 20th century America.

Titan fence is strategically located off of Hwy. 380 between McKinney and Denton. Our facility allows us to meet the fencing needs of Dallas and Ft. Worth along with almost all of the surrounding cities.

Ranch Style Fences – We sell many of these and they can be a big project. The state of Texas and the term “Ranch” go hand in hand. What is the real definition of a ranch? Patrick Murfee, the administrator of the Ranching Heritage Association in Lubbock, actually laughed out loud when we asked for one when being interviewed by Texas Monthly Magazine. After talking to him and other experts in the field, they settled on four criteria that a Texas ranch must meet.

1. On the land in question, livestock—cattle, goats, horses, and the like—must be raised for profit.

2. The land can be noncontiguous but must be managed as one ranch—an important point, since many ranches, including the King Ranch, are made up of several chunks of land, some of which are hundreds of miles apart but are overseen by the same person or group.

3. The land must be in Texas. (Nearly 50 percent of the ranch owners on our list have acreage in other states or countries.)

4. The land must be primarily owner-operated; that is, owned and run by the same people, or at least members of the same family. Leased land doesn’t count. That’s why the venerable Kenedy Ranches aren’t on the list.

IN TEXAS IN 1998 THE RECIPE FOR FAME AND FORTUNE CALLS FOR NERDS, not herds. But you couldn’t get the owners of the state’s twenty largest ranches to trade their hundreds of thousands of acres—not even for millions of dollars in Dell Computer stock.

Origin of the Picket Fence
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the term “picket” originates (in 1690) from the French “piquet,” from the verb “piquer,” meaning “to pierce,” hence the pointed shape of the picket. Once used as a weapon, the picket also helped form a barrier. As Random House indicates, its verb form means “to enclose within a picket fence or stockade, as for protection or imprisonment: to picket a lawn; to picket captives.”

History of the White Picket FenceWhite picket fencing installations have existed since the early colonial days in American history, as the harsh conditions after the Revolutionary War called for sturdy, utilitarian and simple fence designs. This classic wood fence installation originated from medieval palings that were made of round stakes or flat strips of locally found wood. A white picket cedar fence may have easily been more expensive during the colonial days, particularly if the wood was imported from a location several miles away.

Have you purchased a new fence from Titan this year? Did you know that the expense may be tax deductible? Which Home Improvements Are Tax Deductible?
For tax purposes, a home improvement includes any work done that substantially adds to the value of your home, increases its useful life, or adapts it to new uses. These include room additions, new bathrooms, decks, FENCING, landscaping, wiring upgrades, walkways, driveway, kitchen upgrades, plumbing upgrades, and new roofs.

If you use your home purely as your personal residence, you cannot deduct the cost of home improvements. These costs are nondeductible personal expenses.
However, this doesn’t mean that home improvements do not have a tax benefit. They can help reduce the amount of taxes you have to pay when you sell your home at a profit. This is because the costs of home improvements are added to the tax basis of your home. “Basis” means the amount of your investment in your home for tax purposes. The greater your basis, the less profit you’ll receive when you sell your home.

Read more http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-home-improvements-tax-deductible.html

As our cities grow our parks and community pools have become a staple in neighborhoods throughout North Texas. Titan Fence has enjoyed providing quality and aesthetically pleasing fences and arbors to several local neighborhoods and city parks. One beautiful community in far North Texas is Savannah located between Denton and McKinney. To browse their web site go to www.savannahdfw.com.

Titan played a key role in developing this community for many new residents.

As a rule of thumb you should stain a fence every 5 to 7 years depending on the type of wood. We always recommend a Cedar fence. Cedar has natural oils and acids in the wood that make it undesirable to most insects. This allows the wood to be installed in its unfinished form and last for many years. Cedar also warps less than Whitewood or Pine fences.

It’s impossible to completely prevent the natural weathering that occurs to a wood fence over the years, but you can slow the process by protecting the wood regularly from the elements. The stain you use to cover the wood must cover every part of the wood exposed to moisture. It’s also important to use galvanized or stainless steel hardware in the wood because these metals won’t rust and they resist warping.

National home and gardening experts predict the popularity of outdoor fireplaces will continue to grow. “Staycations” are becoming more popular throughout our nation. In place of a week-long family vacation for four to Walt Disney World ($5,000 and higher), homeowners can increase the utility and value of their property while providing relaxing backdrops for spending time together. Titan Fence can create exterior living spaces with amenities that range from fireplaces, pergolas and outdoor kitchens.

The majority of rear entry homes in North Texas have a fenced in backyard that stops at the driveway. If a homeowner extends the fence across the driveway then up the property line, the size of the entire backyard increases as much as 40%.

Having a driveway fenced in creates a larger play area for children perfect for a basketball court, skate boards or roller blades. The driveway being fenced off from the alley also eliminates the fear of children being struck by a car while playing in the driveway.

Sliding vs Swing

If you’re planning your automated access gate, you may be stuck on deciding which to go with: sliding or swing. Truly, neither mode of operation is better than the other. Both sliding and swing gates can provide years of lasting use. For Automatic Swing Gates, use of hydraulic or mechanical operators will ensure trouble free installation and use. Sliding gates occur more frequently in commercial or industrial applications, but can be modified for residential use. Titan Fence offers an inventory flush with different operating and control options Titan Fence expert will work with you on deciding which mode is best suited to your new or existing fence configuration.